# a vs Sekai

The clearest difference is monetization model: Sekai at free against a's paid. Sekai also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs monthly) and ratings volume (26K vs 553). a's advantage is review sentiment (78% vs 68%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Sekai holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sekai has 26K ratings behind it against 553, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 78% of a's written reviews are positive against 68% of Sekai's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

a ships an update monthly, Sekai every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | a | Sekai |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (553 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-shell/id1473805438/reviews) | **[4.8 (26K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sekai-create-remix-play/id6504506653/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 553 | **26K** |
| Positive reviews | **78.3% of reviews** | 68.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | #21 | **#3** |
| Size | 1.9 GB | 170 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Nicolas Holzschuch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1450994948) | [Sekai](https://appshunter.io/developer/1707645385) |

## What reviewers say

### a

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-shell/id1473805438)

**Currently charting:** #21 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

Run a full Unix-like terminal environment on your iOS device. Execute a wide range of commands, edit files, and even program using included interpreters and compilers. Supports multitasking and integration with Shortcuts.

**Highlights:** Local Unix terminal emulator, SSH client, File transfer (scp, curl), Text editing (vim, ed), Scripting languages (Python, Lua, Perl, JS), C/C++ compiler, TeX distribution

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful terminal with Linux commands
- 👍 Useful for programming and development
- 🔒 Secure and reliable
- 💡 Impressive capabilities for an iOS app
- 👍 Helpful documentation and developer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Limited customization options
- 🔍 Missing some basic terminal features
- 🔍 Compatibility issues with certain packages

**Reported bugs**

- Toolbar buttons not accessible in portrait mode on some devices
- Pasting from clipboard can insert unexpected characters
- Sourcing certain script files causes crashes

**Requested features**

- Add support for package managers like Homebrew or APT
- Implement more advanced shell features like job control and better tab completion
- Integrate Git for version control
- Allow installing additional packages and libraries
- Improve clipboard and file management integration


### Sekai

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sekai-create-remix-play/id6504506653)

**Currently charting:** #3 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

This social platform allows users to create, remix, and play interactive content like quizzes, memes, and mini-games. Users can instantly bring ideas to life, modify existing content, and discover an endless feed of community-created experiences to share with friends.

**Highlights:** Create interactive experiences instantly, Remix existing content, Infinite feed of community content, Share with friends, Build a user presence

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Awesome app for creating stories
- 👍 No in-app purchases
- 💡 Ability to create own characters and narratives
- 🚀 Entertaining and fluid storytelling
- 👍 Fun and creative experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and glitches
- 🐛 Dialogue/audio issues (repeating, not playing)
- 🐛 Slow loading times when continuing stories
- 🐛 Character/story issues after updates
- 🐛 Inconsistent character voice/appearance

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when searching for certain terms
- Issues with uploading custom character images
- Repeated audio/dialogue glitches
- Inconsistent character behavior across stories

**Requested features**

- Increase character limit for stories
- Add more character options and voices
- Improve character customization (poses, expressions)
- Add ability to reread previous dialogue
- Enhance story continuation experience


## Frequently asked questions

### Is a free?

a is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Sekai free?

Sekai is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, a or Sekai?

Sekai is rated higher. a averages 4.6 out of 5 from 553 ratings, while Sekai averages 4.8 from 26K ratings.

### Do a or Sekai have ads?

Neither a nor Sekai shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, a or Sekai?

a ships an update monthly, and Sekai every 3 days. Most recently, a was updated on October 17, 2026 and Sekai on October 19, 2026.

### Which is more popular, a or Sekai?

a currently peaks at #21 in the App Store charts, and Sekai at #3. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*